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I have calmed down and not so upset. So that's good.

Today was a busy day and worked this morning (since I work at a church, every Sunday morning is work), then dinner with the in-laws, then baby shower for cousin-cousin Laura, then a movie with friends that we haven't spent time with in a long time, came home kids in the bath, prayers and bed.

Doesn't it seem like so many of our days are filled with busy? Just being busy, in constant motion. Rushing! It's the ongoing struggle to learn to find peace and quiet.

Some things that I'm excited about right now:

• guitar lessons - I am learning to shred!
• Paul and I teaching at the Plant on Tuesday
• mentoring an amazing woman
• cold weather and sweaters
• Luke being done with his pacifier
  
• down comforters
• painting
  
• boots (need a new black pair, broke the heel off mine)
• discovering & walking in my destiny
• Shindig Skate Ministry
• Alanna moving from Broadway Babies to Broadway Beginnings
• Mom coming to visit December 3
• meeting Paul's family for the first time
• starting all my Christmas crafting

The Shack and other things

Wow! It's been a long time since I have written anything. I feel like a lot has been happening and at the same time nothing at all. Does that make sense? Here's a breakdown of whats going on...

• I started reading The Shack. hmmm... It's been taking the Christian world by storm. If you haven't heard of it you soon will. And they are making a movie too. I am having a very hard time getting into it. People I have talked to have either LOVED it or HATED it. I have found myself indifferent and having a hard time sticking with it. I am a reader and will usually finish a book in a couple of days. This one is taking me awhile. I'm not going to give up on it. I'll finish it and then form my overall opinion of the book.
• I got a MacBook. It's a huge adjustment to me and it's driving me nuts. I am such a PC person that I am having a very hard time with the switch. The mouse is driving me nuts!! There is no backspace key! No home, end, page up or page down. I am slowly adjusting but it's been more difficult than I though it would be.
  
• I am starting school in the Spring semester. This fall is too rushed. We are waiting to hear if Paul is going to be back at his school teaching this fall and I don't want to add the financial stress of tuition if we are out of work. I promise I am not chickening out, I am doing this!
• Alanna starts 2nd grade on Monday! I can't believe it, she is going up soooo fast. I know people say that all the time but it really is true.
  

Back from Vacation

I am back from Virginia and my brother now hold a Jurists Doctorate (he's a lawyer)! I couldn't be more proud of him and everything he accomplished. Some highlights from my trip:

• Staying up till 5:00 am talking with my little bro
• Watching Ty graduate
• Seeing my grandparents (they live in New York so I only see them every couple of years)
• Hearing Sandra Day O'Connor speak at Ty's graduation
• Touring Colonial Williamsburg
• Seeing the graves of my relatives Pres. John Tyler, his daughter, etc...
• Sticking my finger in a bullet hole from the Revolutionary War
• Wine tasting
• Yorktown
• Thai food
• Korean BBQ
• a FAT fillet with blue cheese
• meeting all of Ty's "family" from the last 3 years of his life on the East coast
• Deciding that I never want to live in NYC
• Coming home and hearing my kids yell, "MOMMY!!!!!"
  

Some things that were not so great from my trip:

• exploding tire on the way to the airport in Burbank (1.5 hrs from my house)
• Tornado watch in VA
• Rain - everyday
• 60 degrees and a summer linen dress
• JFK airport for 4 hours - way too loud and too much yelling!
• broken laptop - it's getting a new LCD screen as we speak
• forgot my camera!!!!
• Coming home all my luggage went to Houston (fingers crossed I'll have it on Friday)

Paul did a GREAT job with the kids. When I got home, Paul had a dozen roses for me and the kids made me cards. It was the best homecoming EVER! I'm so blessed to have such an amazing husband!!!

Some things...

Some things that have consumed my life, thoughts and prayer life the last week...

1. sick Luke
2. throwing-up
3. running
4. stretching an already thin family budget
5. payroll
6. state & federal payroll liability payments
7. gas prices
8. milk prices ($6.50 a gallon!!!)
9. cell phones
10. my dad
11. going to Virgina for Ty's Law School Graduation
12. praying for miracles
    
13. beenup2
14. Quickbooks
15. State of CA education budgets
16. posting a podcast
17. baby gut (post baby belly)
18. Weight Watchers
19. painting/art
20. faith
21. unbelief
    
22. fear
23. healing
24. asthma
25. allergies
26. conventional medicine
27. alternative medicine
    

So that's a quick list of my life the last week.

Some things...

Here are some things I love about going to church...

• Pastor David - He's a good teacher and MAN is he SMART! David is passionate to follow after the things of God and imparts that wisdom on us.
• Family - not just blood relation but really being part of the family of God
• Getting to Worship God - actually this should be the beginning and end of my list. Is there no great honor in all the earth than worshiping the Creator?
• Prayer - getting to pray for people and calling forth their destiny, crying tears with them, speaking words of healing and life and seeing people walk in freedom.

That's just a couple things I love about church - specifically being a part of my church. I would direct you to the website but it's not good and isn't an accurate portrait of how crazy we all are. Tonight, while Paul was being prayed for (there was a call to all teachers so Paul went right up and was at the front of the line) he was covered in gold dust. AWESOME!

PS - if you haven't seen it yet, you have got to see The Finger of God. It's documentary about crazy Christians going after the power of God. (I say crazy in love because I'm one of them too.)

Some things...

So I the blogs that I frequent usually have a running article of some kind. I decided to start my own, I'm calling it Some Things...

Some Things About Luke I Never Want to Forget...

1. He calls his sister A-nana & follows her where ever she goes

Every beverage you can think of is called wa-wa

Every animal, except a cat, roars - including bunnies, goats, dogs and sheep

Luke loves to rock (as in rock n' roll) and asks me daily, "Wanna rock?" and in case I didn't know what that means, plays his air guitar or gets Alanna's Hannah Montana guitar and plays that for me

He loves anything Superman and calls him "Mo-Mo-Mo" and Spiderman is "Mo-Mo"

Asks 100 times a day: "What's that?" "Who's that?" after I answer him he says "Oh" and points to the same thing and asks again. At times annoying but super cute

When he's sleepy he's cuddly and likes to play with my belly button and rub my tummy. (I'm sure this is some strange Freudian thing but I love our cuddle time)